I was just going to mention the SR5 trivia but you nailed it. My first memories of what people today refer to as "overlanding" was riding around in my dad's 1986 Toyota pick up. No model name, no options, 2WD, a camper shell that me and my 3 siblings sat in (with no seatbelts) as my parents were up front trouncing through the Sierras on our way to Tahoe.
My dad loved bird watching and the outdoors but he had this really extreme allergy problem which required him to get weekly shots to keep it under control. His allergies were so bad it kept him out of the military and he often had to wear masks in public much like we've done during the pandemic and I remember him getting crazy stares from people whenever he had to put the mask on. Because of this we never actually got to camp, we always ended up exploring an area then ending up at a roadside motel eating a bucket of fried chicken. Great times, and great memories.
Btw, my dad's Yota was a base model with the 4 speed manual, if you had the SR5 in those days you were classy! If you had AC you were a Rockefeller! I still wonder how my dad and everyone else back then managed to get through all that crazy terrain, and snow and rain in such simple, archaic vehicles, but it just reinforces in my mind that 95% of the gadgets and gizmos marketed to people today are nice to have but not neccesary if you want to go out into the woods and have a good time.
Thanks for posting that great pic, it brought back a lot of great memories. I lost my dad last year. I miss him everyday but I know he's up there smiling at me and my son doing the same things I was doing with him back in the good ol 80s.
